At first, Henwell has no idea who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes, nor does he guess their true purpose.

  But having undergone assassination training himself, Henwell is an expert in the field.

  He understands the mindset of killers when they’re targeting someone they absolutely must take down.

  While wandering outside the capital, Henwell knows the assassins won’t make a move.

  On one hand, there are too many w enforcement officers lying in wait nearby. On the other, striking there wouldn’t have the desired shock effect.

  Henwell is certain the assassins will only act once they enter the capital.

  That’s when they can catch everyone off guard.

  In the letter Cao Mingzhi sends to his father pleading to return to the capital, Henwell makes some subtle modifications.

  There’s also a secret message hidden inside, asking Cao Yu to mobilize every connection he has and find the most skilled Martial Warrior possible.

  What surprises Henwell is that Cao Yu actually manages to bring in Lie Yu, a Fifth Rank Martial Warrior.

  This complicates things for Henwell, he has to use Will Lock to seal his true strength, making sure Lie Yu doesn’t see his real power.

  Once inside the city, when the assassination attempt happens, Henwell shakes off the attackers and hides with Cao Mingzhi.

  Of course, the assassins will come looking, but what matters most is the trail Henwell leaves behind.

  Hiding in the capital to evade those assassin forces is clearly impossible.

  Henwell and Cao Mingzhi’s sneaky movements lead the masterminds to believe they have uncovered some crucial truth, prompting urgent investigation.

  Next up: kidnapping Cao Mingzhi.

  Going after Henwell is risky, no one has fought him before, and his strength is unknown.

  If things escate, escape would be difficult.

  Besides, they believe Cao Mingzhi holds the real truth, not Henwell, the foreign barbarian.

  Before they abduct Cao Mingzhi, Henwell leaves a mark on him, a subtle, special fragrance that’s not obvious but easy to track.

  Henwell follows the trail to the assassins’ hideout and waits outside.

  He waits for reinforcements and for the assassins to reveal some information.

  Lie Yu, hovering overhead, doesn’t move immediately for this very reason.

  Unfortunately, the man with the folding fan is too cautious. Eventually, Henwell decides the time is right and storms in, buying time.

  Lie Yu’s deyed appearance also serves another purpose: to observe who the spies within the various departments are.

  If any of the capture teams try to send messages warning the assassins, Lie Yu will detect it.

  That night, quite a few spies are indeed uncovered. But since they’re too far from Lie Yu, those spies all take their own lives.

  What follows is exactly what everyone has witnessed so far.

  Cao Mingzhi widens his eyes. “How did you know Lord Lie Yu would show up? How did you know the expert my father found would understand what you meant?”

  Henwell shrugs. “I didn’t know it was Lord Lie Yu coming, or I could’ve put on an even better show! But I did know the heads of the Divine Detective Department and Evil-Catcher Department would get involved, after all, your father is the Left Vice Minister of Works! “

  ”Both departments are top-notch at solving cases; they’re smart enough to catch on with just a hint. “

  ”In the secret letter to your father, I roughly outlined how I wanted things to go. When the departments issued a wanted order for me, I knew it was working. Otherwise, on the fourth day, I would’ve just shown up with you openly!”

  After hearing Henwell’s expnation, Cao Mingzhi compins a bit. “Henwell, you were betting with my life! What if the ‘thieves’ hadn’t followed your pn and just killed me outright? Wouldn’t I have died for nothing?”

  Henwell takes a sip of tea. “Buddy, don’t you get it? If they can send two Third Rank experts after you, how long could you really hide? We can’t guard against a ‘thief’ forever. From the start, we were bait. Danger never left us. So why not take the risk while the net’s wide and try to catch all the ‘thieves’ at once?”

  Cao Mingzhi asks, “Did you catch all the ‘thieves’ that night?”

  Henwell shakes his head. “Of course not. But after this, we’re no longer bait. That’s the best outcome for us. Without the scent of bait, predators won’t come. That faction is now busy worrying about how to escape the court’s pursuit, they definitely don’t have time for us anymore.”

  Cao Mingzhi anxiously asks, “What about after that? Will they retaliate against me?”

  Henwell reassures him, “That’s a problem for another day. At least we’re alive now, aren’t we?”

  Sui Luqing, who has been quietly listening to Henwell’s analysis, gently cps his hands. “Henwell, you’re truly clever! I never expected someone from a Western barbarian nd to possess such wisdom. Just through psychological tactics alone, you managed to break the deadlock!”

  Henwell smirks. “Sir, the Western barbarian nations have their capable people too. We all have two eyes and a brain, no monkeys in the trees!”

  Sui Luqing ughs heartily. “Alright, I misspoke! I didn’t mean to belittle you. It’s just that you look so burly, I didn’t expect you to be so meticulous, with such a sharp mind. That’s what surprises me. I suppose that’s exactly why the ‘thieves’ didn’t anticipate being outsmarted by you!”

  Henwell sighs. “Ah, it’s all for survival! I originally came to the capital to enjoy life, but I never imagined getting caught up in such chaos.”

  Sui Luqing pats Henwell on the shoulder. “There’s a saying here: since you’ve come, you might as well settle in. What’s done is done, you can only look forward now. Don’t worry, our Court of Judicial Review isn’t something to be trifled with. “

  ”This matter isn’t over yet! The higher-ups already know about your contributions. They’re quite impressed and want to thank you in person! Besides, you truly are a talent. Lord Lie Yu is very interested in you. If you join the Ministry of Justice, you’ll thrive like a fish in water.”

  “But our Court of Judicial Review needs people like you even more, those with strength and brains! I won’t hide it from you: we’ve long wanted to integrate the Locksmiths into a powerful department simir to the Evil-Catcher and Divine Detective Departments. But we’ve never found the right person to lead it. “

  ”Civil officials are good at solving cases but can’t control the unruly Locksmiths, many of whom come from the martial world. Military officers can keep Locksmiths in line a bit, but their methods are cking, and they don’t have the skills to solve cases, which is a big obstacle to forming the department.”

  “After this incident, everyone at the Court agrees we must hurry to establish this powerful unit. And this is your opportunity to shine. If you have the ability, we won’t mind your Western barbarian origins.”

  Henwell bows respectfully. “I will do my best and won’t disappoint you, sir!”

  Sui Luqing smiles warmly, clearly seeing that Henwell understands his meaning.